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Women in physics take the podium

A new lecture series presented by the physics department in CLAS this spring features prominent women in the field, with lectures on topics ranging

from using lasers to manipulate the insides of cells to quantum information processing.

Physics is not a discipline that has traditionally attracted women, says Susanne Yelin, associate professor of physics. Despite more women entering the field in recent years, they are still a minority.

Because of the historical dearth of women physicists, she says, today’s students can have a hard time finding female role models.

“We can’t overstate the importance of positive role models, ” says Yelin. “This series will help us underline the quality of role models that exist in the field. ”

Yelin is part of a newly-formed Diversity Committee in her department, which is working on a host of initiatives to encourage broad participation in the physical sciences. Each visiting lecturer will meet with undergraduates for an informal lunch, in which students can inquire about the researcher’s work and experience in a casual environment.

“This series is a small part of a larger effort to recognize and increase diversity, ” says Yelin.

The series will include two Norman Hascoe Frontiers of Science lectures, which aim to excite undergraduates with scientific interests in frontier areas of science. Since its inception in 1997, the series has sponsored speakers in the areas of chemistry, physics, materials science and the biological sciences.

Birgitta Whaley of the University of California at Berkeley will present one of the Hascoe lectures on her work investigating photosynthesis from the perspective of quantum computing. Both processes have similar properties at their core, suggesting that they are efficient for the same reasons.

The series will conclude with the Mara Prentiss of Harvard University presenting the Sigma Pi Sigma Lecture, sponsored by the Society of Physics Students. Prentiss’s work uses lasers to manipulate matter inside of cells, using what she calls “optical tweezers”.

Join us for a talk by Gina Barreca,2018 UCONN BOARD OF TRUSTEESDISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH

All great works of fiction, poetry and dramaâas well as texts forming mythologies, religions, national epics to heroic sagasâhave loneliness at the heart of their narrative. From Persephone to Peter Pan, from âFrankensteinâ to âFrozen,â the stories we pass along are saturated with unwilling isolation.âOnly around half of Americans say they have meaningful, daily face-to-face social interactions,â according to a 2017 study. A former U.S. Surgeon General argues that âWe live in the most technologically connected age in the history of civilization, yet rates of loneliness have doubled since the 1980s.â We need more than social media. We need social contact. We need community. How can we break through the loneliness barrier? Being alone when in need of companionship is more than sad; itâs an epidemic.Chronic loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. We need to change our national story and, often, our personal ones as well.Even the concept of the âlone wolfâ is a myth. Wolves hunt in packs.

Reception to follow.

For more information about this event, or if you are an individual who requires special accommodation to participate, please contact the CLAS Deanâs Office at (860) 486-2713.

A liberal arts and sciences degree prepares students with the tools they need to excel across a wide range of careers. Given the number of options available to you, it can be overwhelming to narrow down career choices. Attending CLAS Career Night will provide you exposure to career opportunities for CLAS students.

This semesterâs focus will be on research-based careers. During this event you will engage with CLAS alumni, learn about various occupations, and gain insight about how to best prepare for your future career.

The McNair Scholars Program and the Office of Undergraduate Research invite you to join us for a brown bag research seminar.

Birds, Bacteria, and Bioinformatics: Why Evolutionary Biology is the Best

Sarah Hird, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Molecular and Cell Biology

This series is open to all undergraduate and graduate students, and is designed especially for students conducting (or interested in conducting) STEM research. These seminars are opportunities to learn about research being pursued around campus, to talk with faculty about their path into research, and to ask questions about getting involved in research.

About CLAS

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the academic core of learning and research at UConn. We are committed to the full spectrum of academics across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. We give students a liberal arts and sciences education that empowers them with broad knowledge, transferable skills, and an ability to think critically about important issues across a variety of disciplines.